Communication networks, such as wireless mesh networks, star networks, and so on, are used to connect a variety of different devices. These communication networks often contain devices having different characteristics and capabilities. For instance, these networks may include “smart” utility meters such as electric, water and gas meters that are connected devices capable of reporting resource consumption readings over a communication network. While some meters, such as electric meters, are powered by alternating current electricity service (“mains power”) from the electricity grid, other devices, such as many water and gas meters, are battery powered. In many cases, such battery powered devices are expected to operate for extended periods of time (twenty years or more) without being recharged.
Devices in communication networks synchronize their internal clocks with each other to ensure timing accuracy for communications between the devices. However, various factors cause the timing of the clocks to drift apart from each other, such as inaccuracies in the internal clocks, jitter in the network, etc. To account for changes in the timing of the internal clocks for the devices, periodic beacons may be sent from a root node to downstream devices which indicate times by which the devices synchronize their clocks. Mains powered devices in the network will receive these beacons as they are constantly listening for these periodic transmissions. However, battery powered devices may operate with power consumption restraints which prevent them from constantly listening for the periodic beacons. For example, battery powered devices may operate in a low-power operating mode where they are unable to receive transmissions, and “wake-up” into an active operating mode according to a communication schedule for a period of time (e.g., “listening window”) to receive the periodic transmissions. However, due to the changes in the timing of the internal clocks for the devices, the listening window may shift by a timing error that causes the battery powered device to miss the periodic beacons, causing the battery powered device to become unsynchronized with the other devices in the network. While the listening windows may be extended for longer periods of time, or be performed more frequently, this causes the battery powered device to consume more battery power and result in unacceptable reductions in battery life.